Crane or derrick



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.'

I J. N. STURM.

CRANE 0R DERRIGK.

No. 524,619. PatentedAug. 14, 1894.

Irma Essay I m mwmz? (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. N. STURM. CRANE 0R DERRICK.

No. 524,619. Patented Aug. 14, 1894.

a. 0M. 1 Star/711,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES N. STURM, OF BELPRE, OHIO.

CRANE OR DERRICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,619, dated August14, 1894.

' Application filed March 30, 1894- Serial No. 506,757. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES N. STURM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Belpre, in the county of Washington and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Cranes or Derricks; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification. I

My invention relates to cranes, derricks and analogous devices andstructures adapted for the raising and lowering and loading andunloading of heavy weights and bodies of material.

My invention consists of the parts and constructions and combinations ofparts which I shall hereinafter fully describe and set forth in theclaims.

In theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1, represents a perspective view ofa crane or derrick embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a verticalsectional view of the same on the line 40-01; of Fig. 1. I

The construction set forth in said drawings may be designed as apermanent structure to be located in the yards of railroad systems orother places where it is desired to raise and lower or handle heavy andcumbersome objects and weights; or it may represent a portable structureto be carried upon a wheeled frame, fiat car or truck so that it may betransported from place to place. As a portable structure it is veryuseful for wrecking crews of railroads and for bridge and otherconstruction.

Upon a suitable base or foundation A is a vertically disposed mast orstandard B the lower end of which is suitably stepped upon the base orfoundation so that the mast may be turned axially; this movement beingfacilitated by a turn table 13 of any desired form and construction. Themast B may be of any desired construction, but is preferably composed ofangle-iron plates abolted or riveted together in pairs with an opencentral portion, and with the upper ends of the pairs of plates boltedtogether and to an interposed block b; the lower portions of the pairsof plates being also connected to each other in any well known andappropriate manner.

Projecting from the mast at a suitable angle is a boom 0 composed,preferably, of two separated and spaced angle-iron plates 0, the lowerends of which are securely bolted to the inner walls of the platesforming the mast, and the upper ends being united by a block 01 boltedin position substantially as shown; while the inwardly turned flanges eof said plates 0 are designed to serve as guides and track surfaces as Ishall hereinafter fully set forth. The outer or free end of the boom issuitably stayed and braced by rods f and turn-buckles f as shown, andsaid free end also carries the falls D common to this class ofstructures,'and which have a hook g to which the load to be suspended isattached. From the side of the mast opposite to the boom, extends aninclined plane herein shown as composed of two separated and spacedplates h set on edge, having the lower ends pivotally secured to themast by means of a heavy bolt E, and having their outer ends united byarod or bar F, said outer ends being connected with the upper portion ofthe mast and suitably stayed by means of rods Z and turn buckles Z. Bythus securing the outer free ends of the inclined plane, and mountingthe lower end upon a pivot bolt, I am enabled to increase or decreasethe degree of inclination of the inclined plane by simply adjusting theturn-button.

The inclined plane serves as a track and guide for a movablecounter-balance G, which is herein shown as being in the form of a truckor car adapted to be weighted in any suitable manner. To one end of thismovable counter-balance is hinged or pivotally connected a bar II, whichextends through the open center of the mast and projects upwardly in theopening formed bythe spaced bars of the boom, this bar II carrying at ornear its upper end the wheels or rollers I adapted to be confinedbetween, and to travel in the guide or track surface formed by theinwardly projecting flanges of the angle-iron plates constituting theboom. Nearthe end of the bar II is formed therein an opening or slot .I,in which is mounted a sheave or grooved pulley M, and within the opencenter of the mast,

boom and thence extends to and around the sheave N. From this point itextends forward to and around the sheave M in the bar 11, and thenceextends inwardly and downwardly to and over the sheave N, and thencethrough an opening in the center of the step and under a sheave orpulley P to any suitable point; the outer or free end of the cable beingconnected with a Windlass, gipsy, or any other well known power device,not shown, by which it is wound and unwound to raise and lower the loadto be lifted.

Theoperation of my invention is substantially as follows: The partsbeing in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the hook being at tached tothe load to be lifted, the pull upon the hauling line or cable will betransmitted to the bar 11 and through it to the movable counter-balance,to cause the latter to move upward along its inclined plane. In the fullline position shown in said Fig. 2, the hauling line, in passing overthe pulleys or sheaves M, N and N, is in a position where it can exertthe greatest leverage or force upon the movable counter-balance,therefore, if the weight to be lifted exceeds the weight of thecounter-balance and the resistance to the movement of the same offeredby the inclined plane upon which it travels, this counter-bah 'ance willbe moved along said inclined plane until the resistance ofiered by thecounterbalance overcomes the'resistance offered by the weight or load tobe lifted. When this occurs the movable counterbalance will havecounterbalanced the weight upon the boom, and the weight and strain uponthe opposite sides of the mast will be approximately equalized, therebyenabling the mast to be turned axially without difficulty. if tlieweight of the counterbalance and the resistance it and its inclinedplane offer, is approximately equal to the weight to be lifted, thecounterbalance will be moved nearly or quite to the outermost limit ofthe inclined plane; and if the weight to be lifted is less thantheresist ance oitered by the counterbalance, the latter will be movedonly a distance proportionate to the weight of the load being lifted. Asthe bar H isforced downward by the action of hauling upon the cable,itis caused to occupy a position substantially as indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 2, the cable shortening and coming more nearly straightbetween the sheaves N' and N as the limit of outward movement of thecounterbalance is reached.

Upon raising and lowering the free end of the inclined plane, by themeans before described, the surface presented to the travel of thecounterbalance is of greater or less inclination and correspondingresistance.

In lowering a weight or load the counterbalance maintains its positionon the inclined plane to equalize the weightof the suspended load, butwhen the weight is partially reduced, as' when the suspended load firsttouches the ground or, place of deposit, the counterbalance moves downits incline to compensate for the reduced weight suspended, and when theload finally settles upon its place of deposit, the counterbalance willhave returned to its normal position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a crane, derrick or analogous structure the combination with amast, a boom and means for suspending a load therefrom,'of a trackprojecting in opposition to the boom, a weighted body adapted to travelon said track and having a connection projecting beyond the verticalplane of the mast, and a hauling line adapted to act against saidconnection to move the weighted body automatically upon its tracksurface.

2. The combination with a mast, a boom, the hauling line and means forsuspending a load, of an inclined plane projecting in opposition to saidboom, a weighted body adapted to travel on said inclined plane, and aconnection from said body extending into the boom and provided with asheave or pulley over which the hauling line or cable passes.

3. The combination with a mast, of a boom secured thereto and formed ofspaced plates with inwardly turned flanges forming a guide or track, ahauling line, a movable body on the side of the mast opposite to saidboom, and a bar hinged or pivoted to the body and projecting through themast and into the boom between the spaced plates, said bar carrying aroller adapted to engage and beguided by said flanges, and having asheave over which the hauling line orcable passes whereby the body andits connections are actuated by the line.

4. The combination with a mast, a boom, a hauling line and means forsuspending aload, of separated spaced plates projecting from the mast inopposition, to the boom, a weighted body adapted to travel on saidplates, a bar jointed to the body and extending along the boom, andprovided with a sheave over which the hauling line passes. I

5. In a crane, derrick or analogous structure, the combination of amast, a boom on one side thereof and a pivotally secured trackprojecting from the opposite side, a means adjustably connecting thefree end of the track to the mast, a means for suspending a load fromthe boom, a weighted body adapted to travel on said track having aconnection projecting through themast, and a hauling line adapted topass over and act against the outer portion of said connection toactuate the weighted body, substantially as herein described.

6. A crane, derrick or like structure comprising a mast suitably steppedand provided with an open center, and guide sheaves for the cable orline, a boom formed of spaced plate and provided with means forsuspending a load, a turn table, spaced track plates pivotally connectedwith the mast at their inner ends and thence extending in opposition tothe boom, a movable body adapted to travel on said track plates, havinga bar jointed to r o it and passing through the mast into the boom,

the cable or hauling line, a sheave in said bar over which the cable orline passes, and an adjustable connection between the track plates andupper portion of the mast.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in 1 5 presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES N. STURM.

Witnesses: n

S. A. TERRY,

'1. WALTER FOWLER.

